1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to concealment coverings for flat panel displays. More specifically, the present invention relates to decorative coverings that conceal and reveal a flat panel display, which are extendably supported to enable optimized viewing position placement of the flat panel display.
2. Description of the Related Art
People invest a significant amount of effort and money in decorating their homes in a particular style, including furniture, artwork, wall coverings, fixtures, and so forth. Some businesses and retail stores similarly invest in a particular décor that meets the needs or desires of their owners and customers. The modern trend toward flat panel displays for video, television, computers, and other display applications is placing such devices in homes, offices and businesses with ever increasing frequency. When these displays are not in use, they can conflict with the desired décor, and it has been necessary to disguise or conceal them in some fashion, or endure an item that is unappealing as compared to the general décor of a room or space. U.S. Pat. No. 6,901,987 to Graham for Furled Decorative Covering Apparatus and Method ('987 patent) teaches a solution to the need in the art to conceal such as display. The '987 patent was invented, filed and issued to the inventor of the present invention, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference thereto.
While the '987 patent addresses the issue of decoratively covering an unsightly flat panel display, it leaves another issue unresolved. There is also a conflict between positioning the display and decorative cover for optimum viewing purposes or for optimum decorative purposes. The best position for viewing the flat panel display is frequently different from the best position for decorating a room. In some cases, the physical room layout may not even include a wall surface that is optimum for flat panel display viewing. Thus, there is a need in the art for an apparatus and method for providing a decorative covering for a flat panel display that not only conceals and reveals the flat panel display, but also enables flexible positioning thereof and a means for optimizing the view angle of the flat panel display.